Listening to audio in stereo started to become popular in the 1930s. It has been used in dedicated applications like movie theaters since the 1950's and became fairly common for home listening in the late 1960's. As stereo became expected in many audio applications, most self-contained audio devices have stereo speakers attached.
Generally, a broader stereo image is created when speakers have a significant separation from each other. In contrast, close proximity of stereo speakers limits the spread of the generated stereo image. While sound generated by closely positioned speakers can be satisfying, in a domestic listening situation the potential of the stereo aural image is constrained. One limitation comes from having both channels in the single box. The user of such a ‘single speaker box’ system is limited to a few options. First, the user can connect the left channel from the source to the left speaker, and connect the right channel from the source to the right speaker. This option will sacrifice the maximum output and dynamics.
Alternatively, a user can connect both channels from the source to each speaker tied to the appropriate channel, but the close proximity of the higher frequency radiators can cause interference and very ragged frequency response at higher frequencies, reducing the benefit of using both speakers. These problems may cause a user to discard their system for separate boxes for each channel and leaving the original system unused.
As such there arises a need for a system that incorporates the user's existing speaker box info a system that effectively separates the left and right channels of a stereo system.